An image capturing system (e.g., a camera) often includes a lens element and other optical pathways through which light is reflected and passed, before reaching an image sensor. In an image capturing system, veiling glare (also sometimes referred to as “lens glare”) refers to stray light in the lens element and the optical pathways, caused by reflections between surfaces of the lens element and an inside barrel of the lens element. Veiling glare, for example, results in image fogging (e.g., loss of shadow detail and color in the image), as well as ghost images, and can degrade image quality. Veiling glare often occurs in the presence of bright light sources in or near a field of view of the image capturing system. For example, when taking a picture facing the sun or near another strong light source, veiling glare can occur. FIG. 1 illustrates an image 100, in which veiling glare is prominent. In FIG. 1, light from the sun near the field of view of a camera generates veiling glare on the top-left side of a girl's head in the image 100. Veiling glare can be avoided if the sun light (or other bright light source) is away from the field of view of the image capturing system, although such avoidance may not always be possible.
In some cameras (e.g., relatively low end cameras that have a relatively low level of anti-reflective coating inside the lens barrel and the optical pathways), even without a strong light source in or near the field of view, veiling glare may occur.